Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-26

under the workings 81 ths law
might as well mako up theiE minds g
make III, most Of the situation. The ST
LOais Age Of Ssesl one Of the GREATEST
trade journals in this country, thus speaks
Of the situation:
In respect Of section 4, the Commission
will exercise its power Of suspension only
after a thorough Investigation of the hard
ships complained Of, and only otter it IS
satisfied that the ordinary operation OF the
law is oppressive to an extent that war
rants an exception being made IN petition
er's favor. Furthermore, IN all eScep-
tional cases the Commission will give relief
only as to the traffic between specified
points, and not to any railroad IN gen
eral way. In other words, the long and
short haul provision must stand.
This is interesting TO the railroads, and
to the mercantile community as well. 1t
is a notice to the former that they have
nothing TO expect in the way o. exemp-
tions; that if they have purpesely adYanc-
ed their trough rates 10 the great injury
of their afic, in order 10 compass an OBJ
iect before the Commission, they have
made a stake. The law will remain In
force so ii.r as the Commission Is charged
with its o iministratiOn, despite ell efforts
% undo it BIZ making it OdiOus. Judge
Cooley poke very plainly on TINS
lead when he said the Ian
yuage aud the tenor of the act
wholly Il; 4 to Justify railrO q managers, II
such fher be, who refuse to accept respon-
sibilities, Iecline to offer II 5es, Ie elect to
announes conditions Of trafic, enbarrass
he customary interchange If busi hess and
impose st gnation upon TIT 3e, WI lie they
stick in he bark Of the hrase' ana ex-
pressiOns " the law, inyentng do Dts and
imagining dangers. And still more uni rs
tifable is 1t for railroad con paUies 70 make
use of the general clauses Of the law, lgnUr-
inc its modifying and enlargsng words
and formulas, in order 10 IMPOSE ad-
ditional burdens upon localities, trades,
professions, manufacturers, classes OF trav-
elers OF employees, straining and REFRESHING
every construction in favor Of the corporate
treasury and quoting the new law as their
authority for all manner of petty eNae-
tons. 1.-THE powers of tie Commission
are entirely adequate to cope with SUCH
conduct, the existence OF which is not
affirmed. although it has been somewhat
publicly suggested
II is impossible to mistake language OF
/ this kind. 1t places the fact beyond dount
that the commissioners are fully informed
with regard to the efforts the railroads are
making to render the law unpopular. with
view to securing, finally, its repeal.
Il should be recollected that one man
who gets piDched by this clause will make
more noise than ten men who are benefit
ted. Men who are pleased and have
nothing to complain Of are as a rule silent
and passive. But let the people Of the va
rious sections of the country who have
gotten Justice and benefit from this law,
after enjoying it awhile be suddenly de-
prived of it and see what howl would go
up. Suppose that in six months from now
SIS or $50 were added to the rates for ship
ping car load of lumber or cattle from
Clarksburg or other points in our State to
| Baltimore, making the rates what they
were before the law went into effect. Isn't
it likely there would he ten times the
elamor raised by the people Of the State,
than there is now?
The immediate effect of this clause is
proving hardship to some Wheeling ship
pers, who under the old regime enjoyed
special privileges. But it looks like the
general effect of the law ought to be a
great advantage to Wheeling. A large
section ofWest Virginia and the Ohio Val
ley is tributary to Wheeling. Whatever
increases the prosperity of this section and
brings more money into it brings more
money into Wheeling, and increases the
| trade Of our merchants and manufacturers
in this section. The long and short haul
clause brings West Virginia several hun
bred miles nearer market than before. If
this dOesn' increase her prosperity wedOn't
| know what will.